So my wife is gently but firmly asking me what she should get for my Christmas gift. I'm thinking brewing equipment but I'm not sure what I should get. The price limit is $100, though that could be bent slightly. I have the basics: carboys, buckets, an auto siphon, bottles, bottle blaster. Since my boils are done in an old canning pot I was thinking of a stainless kettle, perhaps one that could be later modified to fit a thermometer and valve. Any suggestions where I could find a 40 gallon pot in that price range, or alternatively, other equipment in that price range?

"I'm kind of toasted. But I looked at my watch and it's only 6:30 so I can't stop drinking yet." - Yooper's Bob"Brown eye finally recovered after the abuse it endured in Ptown last weekend, but it took almost a full week." - Paulie"no, he just doesn't speak 'stupid'. i, however, am fluent...." - motobrewer"... I'll go both ways." - Melana

Do you have a turkey fryer propane burner yet? Bayou Classic makes some nice ones, and you'll have enough of that $100 leftover for some other goodies.

How about a kegging setup? You got that yet?

How about a wort chiller, or a Shirron plate chller? Yeah, that Shirron would be nice. I've seen 'em for around $80.

More Beer has a nice 14 gallon brew kettle with spigot for $150. That blows the limit a lot, though. BE330 is the number. A 9 gallon one for $125, same type construction, and that would definitely handle a five or six gallon boil. Item BE320.

It's too darn bad that the SABCO Universal Kettle has gone up from $139 to $199 recently, and now even higher to $220 (Yikes! where will it end?) They have added almost $100 to the price since the beginning of September. Although it is made from a brand new keg and not from a reconditioned old one. Even their "do-it-yourself" keg that only has the top cut out of it and no welded fittings is now $170, and that is a $100 price increase from seven weeks ago.

A couple years ago my wife bought me a $100 gift certificate to the LHBS for Christmas. I went to cash it in, and naturally had to brag about my wife. One of the other customers (an older gentleman) said "Does she have a sister?", then looked at me closer and said "Wait, what about her mom?"

I looked much younger 2 years ago before I lost massive amounts of hair.

"I'm kind of toasted. But I looked at my watch and it's only 6:30 so I can't stop drinking yet." - Yooper's Bob"Brown eye finally recovered after the abuse it endured in Ptown last weekend, but it took almost a full week." - Paulie"no, he just doesn't speak 'stupid'. i, however, am fluent...." - motobrewer"... I'll go both ways." - Melana

100 bucks....I'd go with either a simple keg set up IF you got cooler space. If not, wort chiller and a extract kit. Make one that she likes, and then tell her you can make it even better with more money......OR combine Christmas and Birthday in one fell swoop and get the good stuff.